Broken Promises
by Neurotic-Idealist
Summary: After being jilted by his fiancée on his wedding day, Randy Orton wants to know why. His question cannot be answered though, as his fiancée Leah has left without a word. Needing time and space to figure out his next move, the WWE superstar takes up an offer from Leah's sister to stay with her for a while. Will he ever get answers? And will they be the answers he's looking for?
1. Chapter 1: The Wedding

**Greetings old and new readers! This is the first thing I've posted here in five years or so, but the story idea was kicking around for a while. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy reading and perhaps leave a review. I own Lucy, Leah, their family and friends. Everybody else belongs to themselves. xxx**

* * *

The brilliant St. Louis sunshine filtered through the stained glass windows of the church, painting rainbow patterns across the wooden pews, and making the diamante details of the floral arrangements shimmer in every direction. It was late summer, August to be exact. The weather report had warned of rain that weekend, and a few of the guests were arriving with umbrellas in tow, apparently unwilling to trust the glorious midday rays. As the guests began to take to the empty pews, the groom was outside, standing behind the church, feeling the warmth of the sunshine against the back of his tuxedo jacket.

Randy Orton lit up a cigarette with shaky hands as he attempted to calm his nerves. The sound of the church bells echoed in his ears, only upping his anxiety over his upcoming nuptials. He shouldn't be this nervous. At least that was the thought running through the mind of the Missouri native as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. He had done far more intimidating things than getting married. As a WWE superstar he risked his life in the ring, night after night, city after city, all over the world.

Perhaps, he thought, he was simply anxious to ensure the day went perfectly for his bride. After all, she had spent the past eight months planning every aspect of the big day, from finding the perfect flavour for every tier of cake, to the hymns sung during the church ceremony. Night after night she had consulted her wedding folder, a silver binder that was bursting at the seams with magazine clippings, fabric swatches, and the contact details of every florist, hairstylist, cake decorator, and car hire company in the St. Louis area. The only number she didn't have noted down was that of a dressmaker, due to the fact that her sister was a talented seamstress.

From the moment he first saw Leah Winters, Randy knew that he would end up proposing to her. She was gorgeous, with tanned skin, olive green eyes, and caramel brown hair that fell down past her shoulders. She was a model, and it showed, from the way she walked to the way she dressed. Her personality was a little assertive, sometimes coming across as insensitive, but he liked that she challenged him. What attracted him to Leah the most though, was her smile. Her wide grin, with her pearly white teeth and dimpled cheeks, could soften even the hardest heart.

Dropping his cigarette to the ground and putting it out with the heel of his dress shoe, Randy popped a breath mint into his mouth, attempting to disguise the fact that he had been for a last minute smoke. As he entered the church he saw that all of the pews were filled, full of family, friends, and colleagues. He offered a nod and a quick wave to the congregation as he made his way to the front of the church, taking his place in front of the minister, and beside his best man. For all of their on-screen rivalries over the years, John Cena had become one of Randy's best friends within the WWE, and the Massachusetts native had been the groom's first choice of best man.

"Relax. It's practically mandatory for the bride to show up late." John told his friend, offering a reassuring pat on the back as he caught Randy eyeing the clock.

It was ten minutes since the ceremony had been due to start. But ten minutes turned into twenty, and then thirty. As the clock hit the forty minute mark, the minister took Randy to one side, addressing him away from the restless and confused guests.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I do have another ceremony in just over an hour. If Leah doesn't show up in the next five minutes, I'm afraid we'll be forced to postpone your wedding."

At that moment, John approached the two men, his face wearing a frown. He was closely followed by Donna Winters, the mother of the bride. She too wore a frown, and was visibly distressed. The best man placed a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder, motioning for her to speak.

"Max just called." Donna explained, referring to her husband, Leah's father.

"Did something happen? Please tell me they're ok." Randy fretted, searching the woman's face for answers.

"They're both ok, but..."

"But what?" Randy pressed.

"I'm so sorry, Randy. But Leah isn't coming. She doesn't want to marry you." Donna replied, refusing to meet his gaze.

The WWE superstar stood there, shock paralyzing him as his blue eyes pierced those of the woman. John stood between the two, his own eyes scanning the scene that was unfolding in front of him. He watched as the groom's mouth opened and closed, wanting to speak but apparently not able to find the words. After what seemed like an eternity, the silence was broken as Randy took a deep breath, before offering a low chuckle and addressing Donna.

"This is a joke, right? A sick joke." the Missouri native shook his head.

"I'm sorry." the mother of the bride shrugged, unable to offer more of an explanation.

Suddenly the church felt claustrophobic. Randy could feel the weight of every guest's stare as they looked on, mumbling amongst themselves as they shared their own theories as to why the bride had failed to show up. He unfastened the top button of his dress shirt and ran a hand anxiously through his short hair. This couldn't be real. It had to be a bad dream. He closed his eyes and willed himself to wake up, to escape from this nightmare.

"You ok, Randy?" John's voice sounded, his tone noticeably concerned.

"I'm so sorry." Donna added, dabbing at her teary eyes with a tissue.

Randy opened his eyes, suddenly knowing what he had to do.

"Whoa! Where are you off to?" John exclaimed as the groom pushed past him.

"To talk to my fiancée." Randy replied, disappearing down the aisle and out of the church doors.

* * *

Randy had a thousand questions swimming in his head as he brought his truck to an abrupt stop outside of the home he shared with Leah, the woman he had been due to marry today, the woman he would be married to right now if she hadn't abandoned him on the most important day of their lives, in front of everybody they held dear. Slamming the door of the truck behind him, the WWE superstar jogged up the several steps to the door of the St. Louis property. Upon entering the house, he found it empty, with no sign of his fiancée to be seen, save for a few of her possessions. The bedroom drawers and wardrobe had been emptied of the majority of Leah's clothes.

The St. Louis native growled in frustration, aiming a clenched fist at the nearest wall, before sighing as he took a seat at the foot of the bed. Randy held his head in his hands, unsure of what to do next. He desperately wanted answers, yet that was becoming less likely by the minute. He wanted to stare into her face as he asked her why. Why had she jilted him? Where had she gone? Was their relationship over for good? She could have gone anywhere. As a model, Leah had plenty of friends and contacts in different countries, any of which she could be staying with.

Randy Orton had never been a patient man, but that was what he'd have to be for now. Patient.

After several minutes of sitting there lost in his thoughts, the sound of heels clicking on the hardwood floors alerted him to another presence in the house. It looked as if Leah had returned home. Perhaps he would have his answers after all. The footsteps continued, echoing in the hallway as they approached the bedroom, causing Randy to look towards the doorway in anticipation. It was not his fiancée who appeared in the doorway though, it was her sister.

"She's not here?" asked Lucy, although it was more of a statement than a question.

"No." Randy replied, shaking his head slowly.

"I'm sorry."

"What for? You're not the one who jilted me." the WWE superstar smirked, attempting to hide his vulnerable side.

"No, but I guess you're feeling pretty rough right now. I would be." the younger Winters sister shrugged.

"Why are you here, Lucy?"

The woman chewed on her bottom lip, apparently thinking something through in her head, before entering the bedroom and taking a seat on the stool in front of Leah's vanity table. The two sisters were not alike. Lucy was a couple of inches shorter than her elder sister, with strawberry blonde hair and lighter green eyes.

"I wanted to say something to you, but it seems kind of awkward now." she admitted.

"Say it anyway." Randy shrugged.

"Well, I know you're not going to want a lot of attention after today, and it would be difficult to avoid, living in the city. So I guess what I'm saying is, you're welcome to stay at my place for a while. Maybe just a couple of days, or maybe until this dies down." Lucy's gaze dropped to the floor as she awaited his reply.

She was right. Being in the city would mean being surrounded by family, friends, and fans, all of whom would be asking questions and offering their condolences. He didn't want or need that. Lucy lived in a small house away from the city, surrounded by woodland and fields. The man liked the prospect of avoiding prying eyes, of being able to clear his head and to figure out his next move. Staying there was just what he needed right now. Yes, she was his fiancée's sister, but neither of them had any romantic intentions, despite what people would think when they discovered where he had disappeared to. It was ideal.

"That sounds great." the WWE superstar nodded his head upon considering the offer.

"Really?" the strawberry blonde raised a brow, visibly surprised.

"Yeah." Randy replied.

Lucy nodded and offered a small smile. "Well, I'll be setting off now. I'll set up the guest room and see you later."

The WWE Superstar gave a nod and offered a small smile as he grabbed his suitcase and began to pack. His blue eyes fell upon a photograph on the dresser, one taken the night of his engagement. Leah wore her dimpled grin, flashing the diamond ring on her left hand as Randy kissed her temple and snaked his tattooed arms around her waist. It had been the happiest day of his life, while today had been his worst. He would recover though, he thought determinedly. He had been given three weeks off from work for his wedding and honeymoon; a wedding that never happened and a honeymoon that he couldn't take without Leah by his side. It had been intended as the beginning of their married life, and now that ideal was shattered thanks to the woman who looked so happy in that photograph.

He would focus, think things through, figure out a plan. And he had three weeks to do so.


	2. Chapter 2: The Arrival

**Good reaction to the story so far** **. Keep reading and reviewing! I own Lucy, Leah, their family and friends. Everybody else belongs to themselves.** **xxx**

* * *

Randy Orton tapped his fingers on the steering wheel of his truck as he drove the winding road ahead. The traffic had thinned out the further he got from the city, the brick buildings and bright lights giving way to trees and green fields as far as the eye could see. Even after everything he had endured earlier that day, the Missouri native could feel some of his stresses beginning to melt away as he made his escape from his troubles, at least for a few weeks. He could understand why Lucy had chosen to live away from the city. Although the strawberry blonde was friendly and by no means introverted, she was not the social butterfly that Leah was, and enjoyed life away from the hustle and bustle of St. Louis.

Randy had been to Lucy's house on three previous occasions, always with Leah. The house was warm and welcoming. It was neither too big nor too small, and the younger Winters sister had filled it with many handmade furnishings, giving a truly homely feel to the place. Her job and related skills as a seamstress meant that one room of the house had been transformed into her office of sorts, and was full of the tools of her trade, with sewing machines, dressmaker's mannequins, and rolls of fabric, as well as several drawers containing an assortment of pins and spools of thread.

As he pulled into the driveway of the two storey property, the WWE superstar honked the horn to signal his arrival, before turning off the engine and grabbing his suitcase. As he approached the house he was greeted at the porch by Lucy's two dogs, black Labrador Jace, and Dolly, a buff coloured Cocker Spaniel. Both wagged their tails excitedly at the visitor, sniffing both him and his suitcase with curiosity, only ceasing their investigation when called by their owner.

"Jace! Dolly! Leave him alone!"

Randy looked towards the door of the property and found Lucy leaning against the door frame. The woman was barefoot, dressed casually in jeans and a purple sweater, as opposed to the wedding finery she had sported earlier in the day. She was not usually one for dressing up, but her older sister's wedding had called for her to abandon her usual clothing in exchange for a teal coloured gown and strappy silver heels, along with a diamante hairclip. She was, after all, the maid of honour, although she had been unable to fulfil the role thanks to Leah's actions.

"Hey, how are you?" the Missouri native asked his host.

"I'm good. How are you feeling?" Lucy replied.

"Humiliated, confused, frustrated... but I do feel better for getting out of the city." Randy answered honestly.

"There is something calming about being out here." the strawberry blonde agreed.

"I'm glad you suggested it." Randy told her.

"Well, let me show you to your room." Lucy smiled, gesturing for the WWE superstar to enter the house.

Randy followed the strawberry blonde down the hallway and up the stairs, pausing at the first doorway, which Lucy informed him was the main bathroom, before continuing to the last doorway on the left. Opening the door and entering the room, Randy nodded approvingly, placing his suitcase down beside him. The room was average size, with hardwood floors and warm peach coloured walls. The room was well lit with natural light, thanks to the large window that took up most of the far wall. The view from the window was beautiful fields of green stretching out into the distance, while the window itself was framed by drapes, the pattern of which matched the bedding on the comfortable looking king size bed opposite.

"I hope this is ok for you." Lucy spoke from the doorway.

"It's perfect, thank you." Randy nodded, picking up his suitcase and placing it on the bed, ready to unpack.

"I'll leave you to get settled in. Just call me if you need anything." the woman smiled, before exiting the room and heading downstairs.

One he had finished unpacking, Randy took a quick shower, attempting to wash away some of the stresses that had befallen him that day. When he was done he dressed in a pair of navy sweatpants and one of his own t-shirts, an older design but one of his favourites from his Legend Killer days. Hearing his stomach growl, it occurred to the WWE superstar that he had not eaten all day. All he had managed was some French toast that John had assured him would ease his pre wedding nerves.

He found Lucy where he was expecting; hard at work in her sewing room. A pair of glasses perched on her nose as she carefully stitched a piece of red fabric, cursing under her breath when the needle pricked her finger. Placing the fabric down on the table, the strawberry blonde attempted to stem the small bleed with a tissue, before grabbing a Band Aid from one of her many drawers and wrapping it around the wounded digit. She glanced up at the clock on the wall, flinching a little when she realised there was a figure standing in the doorway.

"Randy, you startled me!"

"Sorry, didn't want to intrude. You looked kind of busy." he smiled apologetically.

"Just catching up on a couple of things. They should have been finished by now, only I've been busy with..." she trailed off and chewed nervously on her bottom lip.

"Leah's wedding dress." Randy finished.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned that." Lucy sighed.

"I'm sorry you put all that work in for nothing. I'm sure it looked beautiful." the WWE superstar told her.

He meant it too. The younger Winters sister was a talented seamstress, having studied fashion design and textiles at college, and working as a fashion intern before going freelance and working from home. Randy had mentioned once or twice that she should come and work for WWE. Tearing and damaging their ring attire was a regular occurrence for the wrestlers, given the array of athletic moves they showed off in the ring, meaning that the backstage seamstresses were always working hard. Plus, with her original designs, Lucy could have any number of wrestlers hiring her to create their ring attire.

"You know, if I had any idea where she was or why she left, I'd tell you." the strawberry blonde told him.

Randy raised a brow in surprise. "Really, why?"

"Because you're a good guy, Randy. Whatever reasons she had for doing what she did, you never deserved to be humiliated like that. I saw how hurt you were."

"I appreciate you saying that." the WWE superstar nodded.

"How about I fix us some dinner? I was planning on making lasagne tonight." Lucy stood up, hoping the change of subject would kill any awkwardness.

"Lasagne sounds great. Need any help?" Randy asked her.

"No, you're my guest. Just make yourself at home." the younger Winters sister replied.

Randy nodded and stepped aside to allow his host to leave the room. He exited the house and sat on the back porch, feeling the evening breeze and admiring the sunset on the horizon, before reaching into his right pocket and pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Placing a cigarette between his lips and lighting it, the man nicknamed the Viper leaned back and sighed. Reaching into his left pocket and pulling out his cell phone, the Missouri native braced himself for the inevitable missed calls and text messages. There were fourteen missed calls, mostly John and his parents, as well as twenty two text messages, ranging from concerned curiosity to thinly veiled pity. Nothing from Leah though, not one.

He hovered his thumb over the call button as he considered checking in with John, who had last seen him making a hurried exit from the church.

"Randy, where the hell have you been?" John asked his friend upon answering the call.

"I'm staying with a friend for a few weeks, until I can figure everything out." Randy replied.

"A friend? I thought I was a friend. You could have stayed with me." the Massachusetts native told him.

"I know, but I needed to be somewhere that I could avoid everybody asking questions that I can't answer."

"So, who are you staying with?" John asked, his voice brimming with curiosity.

"Lucy." Randy answered, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

"Lucy? As in Lucy Winters, your fiancée's sister?" the Massachusetts native exclaimed.

"Yeah, she lives away from the city, it's perfect." the Viper shrugged.

"Are you high? Don't you think it looks a bit suspicious, being jilted by Leah and then shacking up with her sister right away?"

"We're not shacking up. And nobody knows apart from you." Randy reasoned.

Randy had considered the implications of moving in with Lucy, even for a short time, but had ultimately decided that it was nobody's business. After all, the younger Winters sister had not long been broken up with her boyfriend, and he was in love with her sister, despite being jilted. Neither one of them had ever displayed any interest in the other. If he had felt they shared an ounce of chemistry he would have reconsidered staying there, not willing to cross that line. But truth be told, they were barely friends, let alone anything else.

"I don't know, that sounds like a recipe for disaster if you ask me." John sighed warily.

"Look man, I know you mean well, but I really think this is the best place for me right now."

The line was silent for a moment before the Massachusetts native replied, "Ok, just keep in touch, yeah?"

"Absolutely." replied the Missouri native, putting out his cigarette.

Randy hung up the call and put the phone back in his pocket. He considered calling his parents too, but he wasn't prepared for the conversation that would follow. His parents had not warmed to Leah at first, and even though they had eventually approved of his decision to marry her, he suspected that the words "I told you so" would crop up at least once. Instead he sat and watched the sunset a little longer before heading inside.

Upon entering the house he headed to the kitchen, following the aroma of freshly cooked lasagne, which was bubbling away on the stove as Lucy set two plates down on the marble counter. Randy realised just how hungry he was now that he had a delicious meal in front of him, but waited patiently for his host to serve dinner, not wanting to either offend Lucy or burn his mouth after a stressful enough day. When he finally did take a bite it was like heaven. He'd never eaten anything that Lucy had cooked before, so it was hard to say whether her culinary skills were amazing or if he were just so hungry that anything tasted great.

After dinner they had chatted briefly about trivial things, with no mention at all of Leah. It was still early when Randy bid his host goodnight, but he was physically and mentally exhausted after the drama of the wedding that never was. He closed the door of the guest room behind him, removing his t-shirt before slipping underneath the freshly laundered covers and switching off the bedside lamp. He lay in the dark for a few minutes, staring at the ceiling as his brain continued attempting to process his current situation, but his eyes felt heavy and he soon surrendered to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3: The Questioning

**Here's the third chapter of Broken Promises. I hope you'll keep reading and reviewing. Enjoy! xxx**

* * *

Randy awoke early the next morning, gently coaxed from his slumber by the natural light filtering into the room through the patterned drapes. Blinking open his blue eyes, the WWE superstar yawned and stretched his tattooed arms above his head. He felt refreshed, and was surprised to have slept so soundly, especially after the events of what was supposed to be his wedding day. He reasoned that either the previous day had exhausted him or the country air was already working its magic. Whatever the reason he had managed a full night's sleep, something that often eluded him when he was away from home.

Rolling onto his side, the Missouri native eyed his cell phone on the bedside table, wondering whether he would have any word from his fiancée. A quick glance at the screen told him the answer; no. There were however a couple of messages, one of which was from John, repeating his earlier concerns that staying with Lucy was going to cause more problems than solutions. Although he understood his friend's concerns, Randy was confident that his relationship with the younger Winters sister was, and would remain innocent. Unwilling to reply to John's message just yet, Randy threw back the covers and swung his long legs over the side of the bed, pausing to wipe the sleep from his eyes before opening the bedroom door, crossing the landing and entering the bathroom.

After taking a shower the WWE superstar got dressed, opting to sport a pair of faded jeans and a grey sweater, before heading downstairs.

Lucy was already downstairs, sitting at the kitchen counter, engrossed in the crossword puzzle of the newspaper in front of her. The woman had obviously not been awake long, evident by the fact that she was still in her plaid pyjamas, hair dishevelled, and alternating her sips of coffee with audible yawns.

"Morning." Randy offered a small smile as he entered the room.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Lucy asked, looking up from the newspaper.

"I did, thank you." he replied.

"There's coffee in the pot on the stove, or there's orange juice in the refrigerator. Just help yourself." the woman gestured over her shoulder.

Randy nodded as he headed towards the refrigerator, opening the door and removing a carton of orange juice, grabbing a glass from the kitchen cupboard and placing it down on the marble counter. He filled the glass three quarters full before closing the carton and returning it to the refrigerator. He picked up the glass of juice and walked over to the window. He looked outside, noting what a beautiful day it was, with bright blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and rays of golden sunshine that bathed everything in a halo of light. He could get used to a view like that.

Walking over to where Lucy sat, the WWE superstar peered over her shoulder, eyeing the newspaper.

"Attraction."

"Huh?" the strawberry blonde woman flinched, not realising that her guest was standing so close.

"Fourteen down, attraction." Randy smirked, pointing to the corresponding clue on the crossword puzzle.

"I'm gonna make breakfast. Anything you'd like?" Lucy asked him, abandoning both the crossword puzzle and her spot at the kitchen counter.

"Surprise me." Randy told her, taking the woman's abandoned seat at the kitchen counter.

"I'm sorry for asking, but have you heard from Leah?" the strawberry blonde asked hesitantly as she placed a pan on the stove.

"No, nothing."

"I'm sorry."

"Like I said yesterday, you have nothing to be sorry for." Randy shook his head slowly.

"Have you spoken to anyone else?" Lucy asked him, cracking a couple of eggs into the pan.

"Not since last night. I called John and let him know I was here."

"And what did he have to say?"

"To be honest, he doesn't think that me being here is a good idea." Randy sighed, placing his glass down on the counter.

"Yeah, I guess that's to be expected." the seamstress sighed.

"John's worried that people will talk, about us living together, or that something will happen between us while I'm here." Randy admitted.

"People will always talk whatever the situation." Lucy shrugged.

"True." the WWE superstar agreed.

"Look, I was in a position to help you and I offered to have you stay here. I would never have offered if I was that concerned about my reputation. And I get why John's worried, I really do. But we both know there's nothing between us, and even if there was, romance is the last thing on either of our minds right now. Leah's been gone less than twenty four hours, my boyfriend and I broke up two months ago, and let's face it, neither one of us is attracted to the other." Lucy reasoned.

"Agreed." the man known as the Viper nodded slowly.

It was true, he loved Leah and had no romantic intentions towards her sister of all people. He wouldn't deny that Lucy was an attractive woman, but he had always preferred brunettes with strong personalities, and the younger Winters sister did not fit that mould. With her strawberry blonde hair, soft cheekbones, and down to earth personality, she was not at all like her sister. In fact, it was sometimes hard to believe that the two were related at all. Randy didn't know much about Lucy, and what he did know he'd learned from Leah. The younger Winters sister struck him as an interesting person though, so he did hope to get to know her better during his time there.

"Any plans for today?" Randy raised a brow as he sipped his orange juice.

"Just finishing up some sewing, and I'll be grabbing some groceries later, so let me know if you need anything." Lucy replied, turning her attention back to the stove.

"Anything I can do?"

"I can't ask you to do anything, you're my guest."

"Lucy, I don't mind helping out. The distraction would help right now." the WWE superstar reasoned.

"Well, if you're sure... I've been meaning to fix up the garden but I've just been so busy with work." the strawberry blonde admitted.

"Then it's agreed, I'll work on the garden. Just tell me what needs to be done." Randy nodded, downing the remnants of his orange juice.

"Ok, well it's a lot of work. Strenuous work." the woman stumbled over her words, obviously uncomfortable to be asking for any kind of help.

"No worse than my gym workouts." Randy smirked.

"Well, if you're sure..." Lucy hesitated before listing the jobs needing done in the garden. "The hedges need trimmed, the grass needs cut, the weeds need pulled, the rocks need moved, and the fence needs mended."

"Is that it?" the Missouri native raised a brow.

"I know, it's too much. I'm sorry." Lucy chewed on her bottom lip.

"I'm kidding. It's absolutely fine."

"Oh, well thank you." the younger Winters sister gave a nervous chuckle, handing the WWE superstar a plate of bacon and eggs.

"No problem." Randy smiled, taking the plate of food from her outstretched hand.

* * *

Randy had spent the last few hours in the garden, working on the list of things that Lucy needed done, as well as making the most of the glorious sunshine. The strawberry blonde woman had finished her work for the day, having spent a few hours at the sewing machine, and had headed out to buy groceries, leaving her guest alone with just her two dogs for company.

The man known to wrestling fans as the Viper had just finished washing the last of the dirt from his hands when his cell phone began to ring. Drying off his hands on a lilac hand towel, the WWE superstar reached into the back pocket of his jeans and fished out the device. His blue eyes narrowed as he saw the number flashing up on the screen. Knowing that this was a call he must answer, the Missouri native accepted the call.

"Randy, it's your dad." Bob Orton's voice echoed down the line.

"Hey, what's up?" Randy greeted his father.

"What's up? Randy, you haven't been in touch since the wedding. Your mother is going crazy with worry, and so am I. Where are you?"

"Sorry, I just needed some time alone to figure things out."

"Are you with Leah?" his father asked him.

"No, I'm not. I don't know where she is." Randy admitted, taking a seat on the edge of the bathtub.

"Where are you? I called round twice but you weren't at home."

"I'm staying with a friend." replied the younger Orton.

"Which friend? I spoke to John this morning and he told me he hadn't seen you. Was he lying?" Bob pressed.

"No, he wasn't lying, I'm not staying with John."

"Is it a woman?" his father asked, his tone serious.

"Is what a woman?" Randy frowned.

"The friend you're staying with, is it a woman?" Bob repeated.

"Yes."

"Randy, I know you can be impulsive, but do you really think jumping into bed with another woman is the way to go after the whole wedding fiasco?"

"Dad, it's not what you think." Randy gave a sigh of frustration.

"Ok, then explain to me what's going on." the WWE Hall of Famer replied.

The Missouri native remained silent for a moment, mentally preparing himself for the inevitable lecture. He knew that his father's reaction was going to be as bad as John's, or maybe even worse. Although he understood their concerns, Randy couldn't help but feel like he was a teenager again, being scolded and lectured for his questionable choices. And staying with his fiancée's sister was certainly a questionable choice.

"I'm staying with Lucy Winters. I needed to get out of St. Louis and she lives away from the city. Believe me, the peace is already doing me good."

"And who else knows that you're staying with your fiancée's sister?" Bob asked, trying but failing in his quest not to sound too judgmental.

"John knows, I told him last night. But nobody else knows yet, and I'd like it to stay that way." Randy told his father.

"Can I at least tell your mother? She's been beside herself with worry." the WWE Hall of Famer asked his son.

"Yeah, you can tell her. Tell her I love her, and that I'm sorry for causing her to worry."

"I will. And son, I hope you find what you're looking for."

"So do I." Randy sighed, hanging up the call.


	4. Chapter 4: The Curiosity

Randy Orton was comfortable and warm as he stretched out across the king size bed, hovering in that hazy place between sleeping and waking. He could tell that it was still early and he was content to have a lie in, taking advantage of the fact that he had actually slept well once again. Then came the familiar ringing tone of his cell phone, interrupting his slumber. A frustrated growl left the mouth of the Missouri native as he rolled over and snatched the device from the bedside table, answering the call ready to yell at whoever dared to wake him at this ungodly hour.

"This better be important."

"Good morning to you too." John Cena's voice echoed down the line.

"John, what are you calling me at-" he paused to check the time, "Six thirty, seriously?"

"I've been hitting the gym early." the Massachusetts native explained.

"And you figured you'd wake me?" Randy frowned, rubbing his temples.

"Well, it kind of got me thinking."

"About what?"

"Speaking of hitting the gym, have you been hitting anything?" John enquired.

"John, I've already told you, I have not had, nor will I have sex with my fiancée's sister!"

"Would you tell me if you had?" the Massachusetts native asked, his voice laced with genuine curiousity.

"Probably not. You're seeming way too interested in my sex life so I'd hate to encourage you."

"I'd know anyway." John told his friend.

"Then why bother asking me?" Randy frowned.

"Honestly, sometimes I just like messing with you. But seriously, keep it in your pants, bro."

"I'm hanging up on you now." the Missouri native told his friend, before ending the call and tossing the device onto the bedside table.

John's nonsense phone call had gone on so long that Randy was never going to drift back to sleep. Accepting this fact, the Missouri native got out of bed and walked over to the window, stretching his tattooed arms above his head, eyeing the sunrise over the lush green fields that surrounded the house. It was too early for him to consider eating breakfast, so he opted instead to take a shower, ridding himself of his shirt before opening the door and strolling down the hallway towards the bathroom.

"Oh, shit!" Randy cursed as he walked into the bathroom.

Standing in front of him, dripping wet having just stepped out of the shower, was a startled Lucy Winters, hurriedly enveloping her body in a fluffy white towel.

The man known to wrestling fans as the Viper stood frozen to the spot for a moment, locking his blue eyes with her green ones as he attempted to process the situation that he had found himself in. His mind was telling him to stop staring, but the message was somewhat delayed as he allowed his gaze to cast ever so briefly over the woman in front of him. He could barely hide his surprise as he realised that the seamstress had an enviable body underneath the loose sweaters and pants that she usually favoured. The next thought that came to his mind was that he should say something, anything. But it was Lucy who broke the stunned silence.

"Randy!" she exclaimed, her voice sounding higher in pitch than usual.

"Sorry, I'm sorry!" The WWE superstar covered his eyes with his hands, backing slowly out of the bathroom, leaving a blushing Lucy in his wake.

As he made his way downstairs to the kitchen Randy was filled with an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. He could get over the awkwardness, that wasn't an issue. The issue was that he recognised something; an urge, an emotion, an attraction. There was no denying that he had felt what most men felt upon seeing a beautiful half naked woman. But most men do not and should not be looking at their fiancée's sister that way, nor should he be entertaining the thoughts that had entered his head upon seeing her.

He wished for a moment that John was there, to slap some sense in to him, to spray him with the garden hose, to do something. This was exactly what the Massachusetts native had been afraid of. Not willing to confess his mishap to his friend, Randy began to reason with himself. He reasoned that he was a man and it was natural to appreciate a beautiful woman. He reasoned that he was missing his fiancée and her company in his bed. He also reasoned that the reason he'd felt some level of attraction to Lucy was because she was the only woman he'd seen in days.

Randy's mind had gone into overdrive, so much so that he didn't hear Lucy's footsteps approaching the kitchen a little while later.

"I'm sorry about barging in like that. I didn't realise you'd be awake so early." the WWE superstar apologised upon registering her presence.

"It's fine. I guess I forgot that I had a guest, otherwise I'd have locked the door." Lucy shrugged.

"Locked the door, huh? Afraid I might join you in the shower?" Randy raised a brow and showed off his trademark smirk.

"In your dreams, Orton." the seamstress laughed.

"Should I be locking the door when I'm showering? I don't actually know that much about you. You could be a sexual predator." the WWE superstar joked.

"Excuse me, you're the one who's literally nicknamed the Apex Predator." Lucy pointed out.

"True."

"What?" the strawberry blonde raised a brow as the man folded his tattooed arms and narrowed his eyes towards her.

"I'm trying to recall if you have a nickname." Randy shrugged, still concentrating his steely gaze on the younger Winters sister.

"Wait, Leah never told you?"

"No, she never mentioned you by any other name. So come on, what is it?"

"I'm not going to tell you that." Lucy shook her head.

"Oh, come on! It can't be that bad, can it?" the WWE superstar raised a brow.

"Give it up, Randy. I'm not telling. And why do you want to know anyway?" The strawberry blonde asked him.

"Because I don't know much about you, and that would be a start." he admitted.

"I'll think about it." Lucy shrugged, making a start on breakfast.

* * *

Randy Orton was sitting on the back porch of Lucy's house, taking a well earned break from his continued work on the garden, which he had been working on for the best part of three hours. Lucy had been hard at work in her sewing room all morning, but had now gone out to an appointment in St. Louis with a prospective client. She had seemed enthusiastic about the meeting over breakfast, explaining that the client worked for some glossy magazine and had seemed eager to have the younger Winters sister design and make them a gown for an awards ceremony.

The WWE superstar was mostly glad to have avoided any embarrassment following the bathroom incident, but he had enjoyed seeing the seamstress so optimistic about something. She had always seemed so passive and indifferent in their previous meetings that this level of enthusiasm was a pleasant surprise. Her conversation over a breakfast of waffles had been a revelation; animated and full of childlike excitement. Randy recognised it as the same enthusiasm he had for wrestling, something that he found endearing. Everybody needed something to be passionate about, and for Lucy it was obviously her work.

Putting out and discarding the cigarette that he had been smoking, the Missouri native reached down and petted the woman's two dogs, who had been patiently sitting at his feet for the past few minutes. Jace and Dolly wagged their tails appreciatively as the WWE superstar scratched behind their ears, willingly accepting attention from the man that had moved into their home a couple of days previously. It seemed that the pair were enjoying his company around the house, leaving him to wonder whether or not their owner felt the same way.

Upon hearing the sound of tires on the gravel drive at the front of the house, Randy frowned, not expecting his host to have returned from the city yet.

"Can I help you?" Randy asked, appearing from the back of the house.

"I'm here to see Lucy, is she here?" replied the woman climbing out of a blue SUV.

"Not right now. She's gone to see a client in St. Louis." the WWE superstar replied.

"Oh, I see. I was just dropping off some fabric for her." explained the visitor, who looked to be older than Lucy.

"I guess that should be ok." Randy agreed, recalling something being said about a fabric delivery over breakfast.

"I'm Janet," the woman introduced herself, "And you are?"

Randy couldn't help but smirk. Obviously the woman was not a wrestling fan. Anybody who had watched WWE since 2002 could recognise the Viper, the Legend Killer, the Apex Predator, and son of WWE Hall of Famer "Cowboy" Bob Orton. It was a little difficult not to recognise Randy Orton, with his muscular six foot five frame, tattoo-covered arms, and piercing blue eyes.

"Randy, I'm engaged to Lucy's sister." he told her. It wasn't exactly untrue. He just had no idea if that engagement still stood.

"Oh, you're Randy... I can see now why you're a wrestler." Janet replied, eyeing the man's tattooed arms as he folded them across his chest.

"I take it Lucy's mentioned me?"

"She told me what happened, with the wedding and all."

"News travels fast." Randy gave a low chuckle.

For the first time since he had arrived there, the WWE superstar allowed his mind to wander to his missing fiancée and the wedding that never was. The subject had been avoided by Lucy for the most part, not wanting to rub salt in his wounds, but she had mentioned in passing that her parents had heard from Leah. Although she would not say where she was or why she had left, she had wanted her family to know that she was safe and well, and apparently staying with a friend.

"I don't suppose you could help me with these?" Janet enquired, motioning to the rolls of fabric in the trunk.

"Sure." he nodded, reaching into the trunk and gathering a few rolls in his tattooed arms and heading inside the house.

"How long have you known Lucy?" asked Randy, seeing an opportunity to learn more about his host.

"About fourteen years now. She and Leah went to high school with my youngest brother." Janet explained.

"Oh, really?" the man raised a brow.

"When Lucy started up on her own she came to me to buy her fabrics. My husband owns a textiles factory, you see." Janet continued.

"She's a very talented seamstress." Randy acknowledged.

"Oh, yes! She made my daughter's prom dress. And she's always been so talented at designing too. I remember as a teenager she was always sketching designs on bits of paper, napkins, anything she had to hand. "

The man known to wrestling fans as the Viper nodded, placing the rolls of fabric down on the table in Lucy's sewing room. He made a decision there and then to get to know his host better. It would certainly help with their living arrangements. But Randy was actually interested in discovering more about a woman who was almost family, yet gave very little away about herself, save for the fact that she had sewing skills. For the next couple of weeks the WWE superstar was determined to learn all he could about Lucy Winters.


End file.
